Dark Lady
by Yelene-ryudream
Summary: Many years before Harry's battles against the Dark Lord, a group of teenagers were faced with the first rising of the terrible Lord Voldemort and the girl that held all the answers.
1. Chapter 1

Dark Lady

By: Yelene-ryudream

Summary: Many years before Harry's battles against the Dark Lord, a group of teenagers were faced with the first rising of the terrible Lord Voldemort and the girl that held all the answers.

AN: I know that most of you do not like dealing with new characters, but give this a try. You may not be disappointed. Please don't forget to review. I am completely open to credible suggestions. Flames do no one good.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters and/or places mentioned, nor will I ever (unfortunately). I am simply using them for the entertainment of more twisted little mind. Hehe. Just kidding! However, I do own my original characters.

… … … … …

**Chapter 1: Innocence Shattered**

_**Sunshine rain and daisy-flower crowns**_

_**Songs of yesterday**_

_**When frowns were smiles upside-down**_

_**And darkness wasn't here to stay**_

**_When laughter far out-drowned cries_**

_**And kisses made everything alright**_

_**There were never any good-byes**_

**_And only sweet dreams came at night_**

_**Surrounded in crimson tears**_

_**All that's good is dead**_

_**I'm drowning in my fears**_

_**Screams always singing in my head**_

**- Yelene-ryudream**

_Once there was a little girl that loved her parents more than anything else in the world._

_She led a simple life of simple, but abundant, joys, until one day it all came to an end._

She giggled as she skipped happily through the fields of waving bright green grass and smiling flowers. A braided crown of daisies rested in her raven hair. Her smile shone like the sun that warmly caressed the playful child as she frolicked with nature as her companion. The birds made sweet music for the innocent girl and she sang along dancing to the natural music of the earth. She kept spinning and spinning to the songs until she fell back into the tall grass that tenderly cushioned her fall. Laughing, she gazed up at the bright blue sky whose color was only a bit darker than her own lovely blue eyes.

Although finding familiar shapes in the cotton-ball clouds amused her to no end, the girl noticed the sun sinking closer to the tall mountains in the distance. It was getting late and she didn't want Mummy and Daddy to worry.

Rising from where she laid, the dark-haired child, barely three years of life, ran back through the fields to the cozy cottage on the edge of a huge forest. She noticed her mother and father waiting at the front of their home for their stray daughter. Smiling, she ran faster to the two most important people in her world.

"Mummy! Daddy!" she called and the two smiled warmly at their only child. Giggling, she ran into her father's open arms, and joyfully accepted a kiss on the cheek from her mother.

"Aislinn, don't wander so far off, my darling," her mother scolded gently. "You mean far too much to us to lose you."

"I'm sorry," Aislinn replied sadly. "I just love playing in the fields."

"I know, my little dreamer," her father assured tickling her. "But we don't know what might happen if we can't see you. Play close by, okay?"

"'Kay, Daddy," she said giggling.

"That's my little girl."

"Come here, my baby. Mummy needs a hug," her mother requested. Aislinn jumped into her mother's loving embrace.

Over her mother's shoulder, the little girl suddenly spotted a dark figure stepping out of the forest. As the figure's glowing red eyes fell upon her, she gasped. Her parent's swiftly turned around to face the creature their daughter had spotted. Aislinn's father stood in front of his wife and daughter.

"What do you want?" hr father asked the dark being. A sinister laugh answered his query.

"Foolish man," the voice hissed. "You cannot hope to beat me. Give me the child."

"No! You will not have my daughter!" Aislinn's father shouted. "Cecelia, get Aislinn out of her!"

"Liam, what…I don't understand…" Cecelia stammered.

"Cecelia, there's no time. Just go!"

"But you-"

"I'll hold him off as long as I can! Get going!" Liam shouted as he pulled out his wand. Realizing that in this situation she was powerless, she tightened her hold around her precious daughter.

"Daddy?" the girl questioned fearfully. His gaze softened when it fell on his little girl.

"I love you, Liam," his wife whispered.

"And I love the both of you. Go now quickly!" Giving one last sorrowful glance to her husband, most likely the last time she'd ever see him, Cecelia ran off. The demon before Liam chuckled coldly.

"How touching. It's useless, though. They won't be able to get far enough away in time. But don't worry; you'll see your beloved muggle wife again soon."

"You keep away from my family, Voldemort!" roared Liam.

"I admire your bravery, but it ends now," Voldemort replied in a bored tone.

"_Ava-_"

"_Expelliarmus!_"

The spell was absorbed before it even got near enough to tickle the Dark Lord.

"Nice try."

A dark blue stream of light flew at the dark cloaked being. It simply bounced off of a shield Voldemort erected, slamming back into its caster before he could defend himself. Liam flew back, losing his grip on his wand.

"You put up a good fight, I'll admit," Voldemort hissed with a cold smile appearing out of the shadows of his hood. "But no one will ever stop me. _Avada Kedavra!_"

The deadly green light enveloped the body of Liam Wynsong, but he refused to give the monster the pleasure of hearing him scream. Then, the once vibrant and caring man lay lifelessly in the shadow of his killer.

High-pitched laughter pierced Cecelia Wynsong like ice shards as she ran with her daughter through the fields that Aislinn had frolicked completely carefree only hours before. Aislinn's mother knew well what must have happened and she ran faster, greatly regretting that their once happy home was so far away from the nearest village.

Suddenly, the dark figure they had been running from appeared right in front of them. Cecelia screamed and quickly put her daughter behind her. She knew that there was no way to escape this monster. Laughing at the terror he saw in the two female's eyes, Voldemort held out his wand.

"Give me the girl and I might spare you," he offered wickedly. The said child whimpered behind her mother.

"No! Please, not my baby. Don't take my little girl!" Cecelia yelled at the creature, tears streaming down her face.

"Fine, if that is how you must be, give my greetings to your husband."

As the demon raised his wand, Cecelia placed a loving kiss on her daughter's forehead and whispered "I love you always, Aislinn."

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

With a soul-splitting scream, Aislinn's mother fell to the ground in front of her like one of her limp rag-dolls. Aislinn fell to her knees beside her mother. She weeped into the body of her mother, praying that the monster would disappear and that her parents would return to her. She longed for them to hug and kiss her and tell her that it was all a bad dream. But then she never used to have bad dreams.

The demon lifted her up into his arms and took her far away from the place and the life she once knew. To one where sunlight was only a forgotten memory and happiness was make-believe.

"You are _mine,_" he whispered to her after they disappeared. "And you will always belong to me."

"Do you know who I am, child?" But she could not find the strength to answer. He smiled at her coldly, running an icy hand through her silky black locks.

"I am your master," he hissed in a language that sounded strange and yet one she understood perfectly. "Darkness is inside of you. It is your destiny."

The innocent girl only gave a dry sob in response to the wickedly gentle words of her parents' murderer.

"Do you remember who you are?" he asked sinisterly. The child tried to recall anything, but her past had faded like fog under the sun.

"No," she whispered softly. The creature carrying her seemed pleased.

"You are Kirra, and you are my apprentice," her master hissed to her. "You will obey me, child. Now and always."

Pressing a cold kiss to her forehead, Kirra's mind began to blur and she drifted away into dark nightmares in the arms of the Dark Lord under a blood-red sky.

… … … … …

AN: Very dark. You'll see some of J.K. characters (well other than Voldy) soon.

Please review! Pretty please?


	2. Chapter 2

Dark Lady

By: Yelene-ryudream

Summary: Many years before Harry's battles against the Dark Lord, a group of teenagers were faced with the first rising of the terrible Lord Voldemort and the girl that held all the answers.

AN: Well, here you have the next chapter. My thanks to 862494 and DarkElf6 for the reviews. Sorry, it took awhile. I had started it; then my great-grandma passed away, my grandmother went to the hospital, and school started back. Now my mother has to have surgery and mid-term exams. So, yeah! I've been busy. As a little explanation, Kirra can speak and understand Parseltongue. You'll find out why later. Mostly the story will be in Kirra's POV from now on.

BTW: Aislinn (ahs-lynn) means 'dream'; Kirra means 'dark lady'.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything that appears in the books (As if you couldn't already tell). I do own Kirra/Aislinn, though. And this plot.

… … … … …

**Chapter 2: The Child of Darkness**

_**Dark shadows whisper to me**_

**_Of tortures long passed in these walls_**

_**Dying humans of which I cannot see**_

_**Pain echoes through the halls**_

_**I fall asleep to my own screams**_

_**Wrapped in my own blood**_

_**No respite waits in my dreams**_

_**Drowning in the cold flood**_

**_Darkness is all that remains_**

_**Lies hum my lullabies**_

_**My resistance wanes**_

**_And my soul dies_**

**- Yelene-ryudream**

My cold, ice-blue eyes stared vacantly at the stone floor as I walked through the long, deserted hallways of the Dark Lord's fortress. Screams of torment surrounded me, seeping through the walls. My long, silk black dress robes lined in silver swayed around me and caressed the ground.

Soon I came to a pair of huge onyx doors guarded by two tall figures in floor-length black robes and white masks.

"Move aside," I commanded emotionlessly. 'Oh how I tire of the monotony of life in a castle built of shadows where time means nothing.'

"Yes, my Lady," they intoned respectfully. They bowed deeply, if not hesitantly, to my eight-year-old self, before opening the doors to allow me to pass. They still despise the fact that they must grovel to a child. Even if that child is their Master's favorite.

I passed into a large room done completely in black and green marble. Stone snakes lovingly embraced the black marble columns, and their sparkling ruby eyes tricked fools into believing they could see into the very soul. However elegant it may appear, the room seeps with Dark Magic and evil deeds. On the surface, the beauty of the room is unparalleled, but beneath, it is nothing more than the Devil's Dungeon hidden behind a lovely mask. Yes, it truly is the domain of a Demon.

Such little light existed in this room, which pure untainted darkness even now longs to extinguish. I could almost fool myself into believing that my near-transparent, pale skin gave off the light that kept me from stumbling in the darkness. After all, how many times had the Dark Lord or one of his wretched minions commented that my alabaster skin almost seemed to glow? I could feel a pair of red eyes watching me intently from the shadows of a large silver throne.

Calmly, I walked down the dark green carpet until I was just before the throne. Gracefully falling to my knees, I bowed my head under the scrutiny of the blood-red eyes.

"_Massster,_" I hissed softly in the language of the snakes.

"_Ah, apprenticcce_," he replies sibilantly. "_Have you completed your missssion?_"

"_Yesss, my Lord,_" I answered indifferently, holding forth a cloth-wrapped, silver medallion with a center jewel that swirled with clouds of many shades of color to my serpentine master. The item disappeared from my hands and reappeared before the throne. I can only guess that the Dark Lord examined it with his usual greedy and power-hungry expression.

The Nundu Medallion is an incredibly powerful magical item. Made from the very life of a Nundu beast, the Medallion possesses the ability to spread a quick and intensively painful virulent death to any in the area of which the wearer released the power, while the wearer remained protected from the same fate. With the power of the Medallion and the magnifying spells engraved within the piece, its wearer could destroy an entire village and everything within 500 kilometer radius around it. Only one was ever created and it was hidden away for hundreds of years from evil hands that longed for it. The Dark Lord discovered its hiding place and longed to possess such a powerful instrument of destruction; thus, I was sent to retrieve it and deliver it safely to my master.

"_Very good, my Dark Lady,_" he said with a pleased hiss. I sensed rather than heard my evil master rise from the throne and approach me. I subconsciously felt the need to shudder at his approaching evil presence, but I suppressed it. It would only cause more pain if the Dark Lord saw a weakness in me.

I felt cold, rough hands firmly but not painfully lift my chin, so that I was staring into the face of the Dark Lord. I saw the deep black hair entwined with a few strands of gray frame his pale white face. But any human appearances in his face that he retained stopped there. Serpentine features dominated the visage of a once incredibly handsome man. His skin more resembled scales and his nose was barely more than slits in his face. Red, snake-like eyes peered intensely into my ice-blue ones. I did not look away.

For a time, we continued this staring contest. As always, he wished to see what I kept hidden inside my heart and soul, and I did my best to enforce my shields without increasing them. He would feel if I began to build up my protective walls and then he would use his tremendous power to force them to crumble. I would not be able to stand the full assault of all his latent power.

I did not bother to protect my mind; it would do no good. Even as I became incredibly skilled at occlumency, able to throw off the best attempts of the most talented death eaters and even the Dark Lord himself in a frontal legillimens attack, he always seemed to worm his way into my mind through all of my strongest mental barriers. Therefore, my most secretive parts I locked away deep within my heart and soul, a place not even he could reach no matter how hard he tried. Still, he continued to claw his way through my very being to find the secrets I kept from him.

Releasing stray thoughts, here and there, I satisfied him to the point that he ended his probing and freed me from his forceful inquiry. I forfeited enough for him to see my excellent capture of the Death Eater traitor and Voldemort's Inner Circle of cronies's thorough annihilation of the traitor of the Dark Lord. The foolish man had tried to steal the Medallion before I could give it to the Dark Lord. He had tried to stop my master from gaining that great and terrible power. However he had been spotted by the other Death Eaters. Had those idiotic Death Eaters not been with me, then I would have aided the poor, cowardly man in escaping with the Medallion. As it were, they had been, and I was never given enough of a chance to allow the fool to escape without raising suspicion. With a firm squeeze, the Dark Lord released my chin and returned to his throne. Has he grown suspicious?

"_Rissse, apprenticcce_," my master commanded, so I rose to my feet, keeping my eyes directed to the ground. "_Why it took you ssso long to capture that incompetent fool, I cannot comprehend. According to the other tutorsss, you have ssshown only great ssskill in your ssstudiesss. Need I increassse the frequencccy of our lessssonsss together, Kirra?_" my master asked in false disappointment and anger, of course he could not say that my capture was a brilliant one. That would be far too much praise for such a weak being as myself, and my pride might become a threat to my master's control.

At times like these, my behavior truly confused me. My master had been nothing but kind to me, or at least as kind as the Dark Lord can ever be. He took me in when my so-called _parents_ left me all alone, cold and starving in the middle of a forest to die when I was just a baby. He saved me and gave me a life better than what I could expect on my own. I owed my master my life. Why then was my loyalty to him so wavering? Why I felt the need to hide things from my master or to help those that could cause my master harm, I do not know. I was being selfish and foolish. My master is no fool, and eventually he will realize that I have been withholding information from him. I dread that day. Nothing in all the nine levels of Hell will be able to match the fury of the Dark Lord when he discovers my insolence. For what reason do I disobey my beloved master?

"_I apologizze, my massster, for my inadequacccy. Tell me what you wisssh of me, and I will obey_," I replied in humble and reverent indifference. The Dark Lord hissed calmly, withholding judgment. I released a silent sigh of relief. Suddenly, I sensed the sensation of his icy hand against my right cheek, but I could plainly see his boots and the hem of his robes against the throne. He was touching me with his magic.

"_It isss ussselessss to attempt to hide anything from me, Kirra_," the Dark Lord hissed warningly. "_I will alwaysss find out what liesss within_."

Despite my best efforts, I began to shake. I had been careless. I had let a flicker of my feelings pass through the boundaries in which I had locked them. Now my master's suspicions had been confirmed. And I? I would pay dearly for my mistake. His icy magic was surrounding me, sending burning pierces of pain through my body.

"_You did not want to capture the traitor, did you_?" he asked harshly and a particularly painful jolt shot through my system. I repress the urge to cry out from the intense pain. "_You did not want the man to be killed. You felt pity for him, didn't you, apprenticcce?_" The pain became more intense and I could not halt the tears from streaming over my cheeks. My body burned and ached and blistered as if I were being burned alive and frozen at the same time.

"_Haven't I always told you that feelings are a weakness!_" my master's voice grew in volume and as it did, so did the pain, so much so that I longed for death. It was not the first time that I longed for the release of death or the blissful unawareness of insanity, but each time I was denied. My cruel and loving master would push me just about too far and then, just as I was almost free, he would pull me back with chains of sugared words and promised pleasures that only turned to poisonous snakes and excruciating pain.

"_Why do you resist me, Kirra? After everything I've done for you?_" Why do I resist him? I felt his cold hands painfully gripping my wrists, and this time, it was not an illusion, although it was hard to be certain through the haze of pain that permeated my consciousness. His touch sent new lightning strikes of torture through my body, latching to my nerves and burning me from the inside out. The coldness of his presence tore into my heart. The most frightening part is that, in his touch, the pain sometimes turned into excruciatingly terrifying pleasure. His greatest torment was blurring the lines between pleasure and pain. I do not know when I began to bleed during this excruciatingly slow and agonizing torture, as he preyed on both my mind and body, but when, he released my wrists, I fell to the floor and met warm stickiness rather than cold stone. My black hair turned a clumpy deep red and I tasted the copper-tanginess in my mouth.

Screaming…someone's screaming. I recognize the voice, but…who?…what is the name? Wait! It's me! I…I am the one screaming. It's my voice that's splitting the heavens. But when did I start screaming? How much time has passed? I believe that he was now using actual curses on me, most likely unforgivables, but it was hard to tell. I kept drifting in and out. The only thing that remained the same was the pain. This is the price of defiance in the Dark Lord's court. He expects absolute obedience and acquiescence, even if it is by fear. And he always gets it eventually. The value he held on my life was the only thing that stopped him from killing me or sending me to that long-desired oblivion.

Finally the pain stopped, or perhaps I had just been driven past the point of feeling anything. Yes, I can sense sweet insanity growing closer. I see it before me. It is a high wall that I am too weak to climb. But wait! There is a crack…and…yes! It's getting bigger! It is big enough for me. I crawl towards that crack, crawl towards the bittersweet surrender of this life.

NO! Iron chains have locked around my wrists and ankles. I cannot move!

_Your chains are mine! You belong to me! And, no, my sweet, I will not let you go that easily_. Once more, the Dark Lord had staked his claim on my soul. He will not release me. I will never be free!

I think that I have reached my limit. The pain is just too much. Too much of my blood has left my body to stain the floors in gorgeous crimson. The last thing I see as darkness clouds in from the edges of my vision is the Dark Lord's ghostly serpent face and his eyes – so much like the blood beneath me – gleaming evilly. Those wicked demon eyes look on me in malicious satisfaction. He knows my soul is breaking.

"_You cannot resist me forever. Soon, my dark lady, you will be mine. Body, heart, mind, and soul_. _You will be my victory. By you, I will soon have the world within my hand, my sweet destroyer_." These cruelly seductive words echo within my ear and mind as my vision vanishes.

At last darkness has blocked out everything else and I willingly drift away to whatever fate lies before me with one last thought within my mind:

_How long until I will finally give in?_

… … … … …

**AN**: Creepy! And she's only eight! Why does she think her parents abandoned her? What does the Dark Lord have in mind? What's going to happen to poor Kirra? Why are you asking me? I don't know! I'm just the authoress. How about you guess and then leave a review and tell me. BTW: to any of you who think it's a song that I put at the top, it really isn't. It's just an ongoing poem that I write and will write for each chapter. Of course if anyone wants to put it to music and call it a song, sure that's fine with me. See ya!


	3. Chapter 3

Dark Lady

By: Yelene-ryudream

Summary: Many years before Harry's battles against the Dark Lord, a group of teenagers were faced with the first rising of the terrible Lord Voldemort and the girl that held all the answers.

AN: Thanks to all my readers. Special thanks to CrimsonReality and DarkElf6. I do it all for you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything that appears in the books (As if you couldn't already tell). I do own Kirra/Aislinn, though. And this plot. The letters are practically completely copied from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

… … … … …

**Chapter 3: The New Mission**

_**Deceitful caresses and false pretenses**_

_**Why am I cursed this way?**_

_**My poisonous presence convinces**_

_**I'm like night amidst the day**_

_**My existence arises from lies**_

_**Only evil persists in my ways**_

_**Even as my heart defies**_

_**My mind obeys**_

_**No more hope in tomorrow**_

_**As a slave to my master's ambition**_

_**Death and sorrow**_

_**That's my only mission**_

**- Yelene-ryudream**

I love the cold. The cold helps me to forget all the death and darkness that I've seen. It numbs the pain. To me, the most beautiful sight is the first snowfall on the forest. I guess that is why I am so happy that the Dark Lord's domain is so far north. It's almost always cold, even now in mid-July. I am standing in a field just outside the fortress walls. And I am glad to be outside that dark citadel, but there are Death Eater guards nearby. My master never allows me to go very far outside the fortress without guards. However, I am unsure if it is for my protection or to make certain that I don't try to run away. As if I would run. Where would I go? This black castle is the only home I've ever known. I have no reason to run.

The memory of the Dark Lord's discovery of my defiance at my tender age of eight still haunts my memory. It was the worst torture he had ever given me. Once he had finished with me, I was very near death. But unfortunately for me, I survived. But it was not as if I had much choice, my master had his best healers and potion masters tending to me the entire ten months that I was in recovery. I was later informed that I had slept for six weeks after I had passed out. I had lost three-fourths of my blood content and had been bleeding internally; it was a miracle that I survived. Almost every nerve in my body had been severely damaged. My muscles had been strained almost to the point of disrepair. And several bones in my body had been broken, including five ribs, two on my right and three on my left. One rib had punctured my right lung. My femur bone had been almost completely severed. Needless to say, I had a very long road of recovery to endure. I had to relearn natural functions, including how to walk and move my arms and breathe.

Nevertheless, that was three years ago, and my life has finally returned to some semblance of normalcy. My body did suffer some major scarring though, some of which I will have for the rest of my life. The Dark Lord had never punished me so severely before, and I have never given him a reason to do so since. The Dark Lord doesn't apologize. It's just not something that a dark lord does. However, he became a bit gentler to me after that. I have a small suspicion that my state in the aftermath of his rage worried him a little. I cannot assume that such an insignificance could actually scare the almighty Dark Lord. Nonetheless, life as his servant became a teeny bit more bearable.

As I stand outside wrapped in my rabbit-fur-lined black cloak, my curly black hair floating and bouncing in the chilly wind and my ice blue eyes gazing over the evergreen trees and the glorious mountains to the northeast, I spot my faithful raven flying through the clear morning sky toward me, a letter tied to its talons. Wizards and witches normally use owls to carry mail, but I found the raven to be a cleverer messenger and far less conspicuous to muggles and wizarding-folk alike.

"Hello, Delos, what have you for me?" I ask gently as Delos lands on my shoulder. He caws and tenderly nuzzles his head near my ear. I smile and lovingly stroke his feathers. Sometimes I think Delos is my only friend. He sticks out his leg, and I untie the letter. Holding it in my hands, I read:

Miss Kirra Wynsong

North Valley

Scottland

Turning the letter over, I find the seal of Hogwarts with its four signature animals. So my Hogwarts letter has finally arrived. My master had warned me that it was only a matter of time.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards_)

Dear Miss Wynsong,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells_ (_Grade 1_) by Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

What a wonderful opportunity it would be to see Diagon Alley! Unfortunately, my master will never allow me to go. All the books I need are in the Dark Lord's library and I have plenty of robes and cloaks. He will send a Death Eater to pick up the rest of my supplies, probably that Malfoy man, since his son will be starting this year as well.

I have been learning magic from the Dark Lord and special tutors since I was four. He had given me my first wand when I was three and that was one of my earliest memories. According to everything I've read, the wand chooses the wizard or witch, so it is dumbfounding how my master found the perfect wand for me. Even so, such studies mean that I have already read the year's books and several others. How boring it will be to learn what I already know. But Hogwarts sounds thrilling, according to _Hogwarts, A History_, so maybe just being at the famous castle around all those children my own age will be adventure enough. Maybe, I'll even make some friends.

"My Lady," calls a guard.

"Yes, Orestes?" I ask turning to look at the man. He is one of the few of my master's followers that I actually like.

"The Master calls for you," he answered. His face is expressionless, but his eyes speak gently as they fall upon me. I grant him a small smile.

"Very well." I follow him back into the darkness of the castle, sad to leave the freshness of the outside world behind me. I feel like a prisoner in my only home. "Go on, Delos," I whisper to my raven. He flies off. He'll get back to my room through my window.

Following Orestes, I come to the same giant oynx doors that have become so very familiar to me over the years. As Orestes leaves me before the doors, he bows and gently kisses my hand. He is such a crazy man, but I suppose if he were family, he would be my favorite uncle. The guards outside the throne-room open the doors and bow to me without a word. It is all for the best: I might have burned their tongues out again like the last time they smart-mouthed me.

Walking into the practically pitch-black room, which I'd still be able to circumvent even if it was pitch-black, I soon came to stop before the throne. My master smiles wickedly as I kneel before him, easily spotting the letter held in my hand.

"_I sssee the time hasss come_," he hisses. "_My dearessst Dark Lady, I have a new mission for you._"

"_I will do asss you wisssh, my massster_," I answer without emotion.

"Your _tasssk, child, will be to ssspy on that foolisssh Dumbledore and hisss Order. Gain hisss trussst, gain all of their trusssts and then DESSSTROY THEM!_" he commands, his evil high-pitched laughter freezing the room and sending unpleasant chills up my spine.

"_It will be done, my lord_." I feel I am past the point of fighting. What he set out to do three years ago, I believe he has achieved. There is nothing to be gained by resisting his will any longer. I feel his cold hand on my cheek. When did he get up? He raises my head, so that he may stare into my unfeeling ice-blue eyes.

I see his vermillion serpentine eyes; they are dancing in glee. He knows he has won. I can feel his pleasure, and it makes me sick. Will my stomach ever stop rolling? He has infected me with a virus and now gives me the duty of spreading it.

All I wanted was to go to Hogwarts, to get away from this nightmare that I live in every day. I should have known: the nightmare will follow me no matter where I go. I am his; he will never let me forget it. All I wanted was to make new friends, and maybe forget about all the evil I have seen…and done.

I am a fool. I will never be free. I will never forget.

I _am_ the Dark Lady.

I am the poison of the world. The usher-in of the Dark Lord's reign. I am the beginning of the end. I am darkness, itself. Just as he. It matters not that I long to leave this darkness behind, to be in the light. It is a part of me. And it will remain so until the end of time.

My heart, has it finally stopped? Has it finally frozen over like the rest of me?

The fight is over. I have lost.

I feel his cold lips on mine. I want to feel disgusted. I want to feel abhorred. But I feel nothing.

My God, what will I do?

… … … … …

AN: Whoa! Kirra will be responsible for the utter elimination of Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix? Talk about pressure! Next chapter Kirra will be going to Hogwarts and meeting some very familiar faces. Leave me a review and tell me what you think! Please? Merry, merry Christmas, all my wonderful readers and reviewers. I love you all and wish you a happy holiday. Ja ne!


	4. Chapter 4

Dark Lady

By: Yelene-ryudream

AN: Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Thanks very much to lebebe, White Foam, Lady-Isowen and my ever faithful DarkElf6. 'hands out Padfoot plushies'

Here is the long-awaited chapter (well, I hope it was long-awaited anyway) – Kirra's going to Hogwarts!

Disclaimer: You know the drill…or if you don't, check the last chapter.

(Me: Does anyone even read these?

Backstage Crew and Muses: shrug

Me: ; On with the show!)

… … … … …

**Chapter 4: Not As It Seems**

_**Locked away in stone shadows**_

_**My heart longs to be free**_

_**But one reaps what one sows**_

_**My own deeds hold the key**_

_**Oh, a moment to see the sky**_

_**To feel someone's arms melt the ice inside**_

_**I could sprout wings and fly**_

_**I would no longer have to hide**_

_**Gasping, sobbing, the dream shatters**_

_**Hope fades away in my sad song**_

_**The will of the Darkness is all that matters**_

**_Waking, I find I've been alone all along_**

**- Yelene-ryudream**

I'm sulking. Yes, I'm sulking. I can't believe that **_madman_** insists on dressing me up like a FREAKING CHINA DOLL!

Well, at least I get to wear black.

You think I'm kidding? I'm not kidding! Look at me! I'm wearing LACE and FRILLS! My hair is tied up in RIBBONS!

All for the **_traditional_** pure-blood customs of dress! BLAH! I'm not pure-blood (and right now I'm thanking God) and neither is he, although he loves to pretend he is. Oh, well! It's like most things, concerning the Almighty Dark Lord – inevitable. Why fight it? Even though I am going to be leaving for the station today and am going to completely humiliate myself in front of thousands upon thousands of students, of which I had originally intended to make friends.

He does this to me on purpose. It is a new twisted scheme of torture.

"My Lady, it is time to leave," someone calls. I turn to the door and smile inwardly. It's Orestes. I could think of worse people to have to go to the train station with dressed like a blow-up fairy tale princess. I think he can see the disgust of my situation in my face. I really must hide that better. I think my defenses are slipping and at a very inopportune time.

He comes over and smiles warmly at me. He tenderly kisses the crown of my head.

"You look beautiful, no matter what you are wearing." Am I blushing? I think I'm blushing! Oh drat! I'm not supposed to be blushing. I'm not supposed to show emotion! Darn you, Orestes! Sometimes you are just too charming for your own good. I embarrassedly twirl one of my midnight black curls around my finger.

"We should be going," I say when I finally regain my normally alabaster pale complexion. He lifts my trunk and floats it before him.

"Come, Delos! It's time to go!" I call my raven down from the rafters. He flies down and lands on my outstretched hand. I kiss his beak and put him in his cage. He looks rather affronted that I have locked him up. "I'm sorry, my friend. It's just for the trip. Soon you will be set free to fly again," I whisper softly and I see the acceptance in his bottomless black eyes. Handing Delos' cage to Orestes, I grab my cloak and follow him out of my room.

"The Dark Lord is busy, so he will be unable to see you off, my Lady," Orestes tells me as we walk down the stairs towards the front hall. Part of me feels rather disappointed, but the other part is counting my blessings.

… … … … …

I swear that my master is paranoid! I mean I understand caution. After all, he has Albus Dumbledore, the Order, the Aurors, AND the ministry breathing down his neck, but to put the apparition barrier 135 kilometers (84 miles) away from the citadel when the citadel sits on the tippy-top of a ginormous (yes, I said ginormous!) cliff! What's he scared of? The Light using the cover of the trees to scale the cliffs and pass through the steel walls? For one, there isn't a forest for almost 34 kilometers (almost 21 miles). Second, the Light are not ghosts; they cannot just float through walls. Last, if they even survive all the booby-traps that the Dark Lord has place around the area, they will surely die of the long walk from the barrier. After all, you have to travel the distance to and from the apparition barrier on foot, don't you know? It's a complicated and downright paranoid spell my master came up with, so that if one tries to take any other locomotion, whether it be a horse, broom, or go-cart it will die/explode! Solves the problem of seeing your enemy before they reach your walls; you could always spot the skeleton trying to crawl towards the citadel after days of traveling from the barrier. You could practical call the Dark Lord's land its own country by how isolated we are.

As I'm sure you can tell by now, I'm a bit cranky. But I wasn't joking about the whole several days' trip to the apparition barrier. Orestes and I had to leave a week before September 1st just so we could get to the end of the apparition wards in time to catch the train. My feet are killing me! I knew I should have insisted that the Dark Lord allow me to take daily walks on the terrain around the castle. Maybe then my feet would not be painfully pounding from all the blood that has emptied into them over the days of walking and sleeping in randomly hidden and supplied caverns all over this damn land. Honestly! Up at four, bathe in a freezing cold river (sometimes we get lucky and find a hot-spring), eat stale travel rations, walk for hours upon hours, short rest at noon, more walking, hopefully find the cave before sunset or else we will have to find it by moonlight or sleep on the ground with all those horrible creepy crawlies, gather firewood, eat more stale rations and raw meat (eck!), go to sleep by about ten, and then start all over again. I am seriously starting to miss that castle.

But I'll admit, it's not all bad. I barely ever get to see the sunlight, because I'm usually locked inside and the Dark Lord keeps his lands eternally clouded over. I haven't heard a bird sing in…oh, I don't know how long! It's actually really nice out here, and despite my best efforts, Orestes has kept me laughing this entire trip. Delos is pretty mad at me, though. I let him out when we rest and when we sleep, but he's still mad that I keep locking him up when we travel. It's not my fault that the Dark Lord's spell isn't choosy! As long as humans are walking, any other creature nearby can be killed in suspicion of helping the travelers. Told you he was paranoid!

… … … … …

Finally! September 1st has arrived and we have reached the edge of the barrier. I even got to bathe in a hot-spring rather than a freezing cold river. I guess I'm ready to get on the train to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I have to wear that idiotic dress. Somebody just kill me. It will be all the better for everyone.

"My Lady, we have to leave or we'll be late!" Orestes calls from outside my room in the small cabin. What! But I thought that we still had three more hours! I look at the clock on the wall and realize that it isn't working. Oh crud! Quickly locating my watch, I see that the time is…10:42! OH MY FREAKING MERLIN! I'm gonna be late! On my first day! I have to do my hair and put on that damn dress and, oh my, I have to repack! Where's my shoes? What did I do with those earrings! Oh gawd, what did I do to deserve this! Uh…besides the usual serving the Dark Lord, tormenting innocents, and eating poor defenseless little animals thing?

Oh! Uh oh! And she trips over the carpet and takes a face-plant right to the hard wood floor! Oh excellent! 10 points for the takeoff! 0.1 point for the landing! Ouch! Oooo, I do hope that vase is replaceable.

"My Lady! Are you alright? I heard a crash!"

"Fine! Fine! I'm just fine! Don't worry. I have everything under control!" I shout back as I try to untangle myself from the pile of clothes that I just dumped off my bed and right onto me.

"Uh…alright. If you're sure…"

"Positive! Just go on. I'll be out in a minute…or two." Oh if the Dark Lord could see me now! He'd have a hissy fit! Do Dark Lord's have hissy fits? Well, he's certainly got the hissing down.

… … … … … …

Five minutes later, I walk out of the room, hair perfectly curled, cursed dress without a wrinkle and bags perfectly ordered and situated.

"Er…ready to go?" Orestes asks when he sees me come out, cool as a cucumber with a satisfied smirk on my face.

"Ready when you are," I reply. Yes, I am ready and the room is spotless. It was actually quite simple when after the Dark Lord comment I realized that I could do magic and that it was positively idiotic for me to rush around trying to do things the muggle way when I just had to wave my wand a couple times and the magic would take care of the rest. Silly me. Thank Merlin that my brain finally kicked in.

… … … … … …

We are now at King's Cross Station, with six minutes to spare…and everyone is staring at me…

What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a life-size, moving china doll before? Oh the humanity!

Orestes chuckles at my obvious distress, and I cannot help giving him a **_very_** cold death-glare. What do you think you're laughing at, bodyguard?

Now the only problem is to get these stupid muggles to stop looking at me long enough for me to make it through the barrier. Duh! What have I been thinking! Am I a witch or not? Quietly I cast the notice-me-not charm and the muggles return to whatever they were doing before, completely forgetting that they had ever seen the strange girl in an insanely overly-dressy black dress with a raven in a cage on top of her luggage. With a satisfied sigh I look at Orestes, who is looking at me with a proud glint in his light green eyes. The sun is making his golden hair around his head look like a halo more deserving of a heavenly being than one of the Dark Lord's loyal subjects. Turning around, I good-naturedly roll my eyes. My personal bodyguard is absolutely crazy, but I love him nonetheless.

Silently I walk towards the barrier and disappear, followed soon by Orestes with my luggage. He helps me load my stuff on the train and then to my utter surprise he gives me a tight hug like one you would get from close relatives.

"Take care, Kiddo, and have fun," he whispers softly to me before pulling away. "Be safe, my Lady," he says more loudly. Temporarily forgetting all my training in the cold and heartless mask, I give him a genuinely loving smile, my first in many, many years.

Then, without a word, I climb onto the train and give a short wave good-bye. He smiles back and with a wave and wink he disappears from sight in the hustle and bustle of the other people on the platform. Fortunately, I found an empty compartment near the back of the train and settled in to read The Recorded History of Magical Development by Jove Windstorm. Losing myself in the words of the page, I didn't even hear the compartment door slid open until suddenly someone cleared their voice. I look over the top of my book and see a pretty girl with large and very expressive emerald green eyes and long dark red hair in a braid over her shoulder standing nervously in the doorway.

"Hi…um…I was wondering if I could sit here. Everywhere else is full," the girl asks with a nervous smile. Looking at her, I try to determine what type of person this girl is and if her intentions are truthful. It seems that I am making her more nervous, however, and I can easily perceive that this girl is no threat, at least to me. I sense that she probably has quite a scalding temper and a great deal of magical potential. Nodding silently with a small smile to calm her shaking nerves, I return to my book. I feel her put one of her bags in the rack above the seat and sit down next to me. I get the feeling that she is anxious to talk to me but is still too nervous to try. I'll let her work up the courage, though. The girl will never be able to handle going to Hogwarts if she doesn't grow a backbone.

"Hello, my name is Lily Evans. What's yours?" she asks holding out her hand to me. Again I look up from my book to her. Maybe she is not as spineless as I thought.

"Kirra Wynsong, pleasure to meet you." I place my hand in hers and we give a firm and warm shake. She smiles brightly. Maybe I should have worn sunglasses.

"The pleasure is mine," she replies. "So are you excited about going to Hogwarts?" I smile. Her enthusiasm may be contagious or it may be my own suppressed excitement.

"Very much," I say but my voice does not exactly reflect the verity of that statement.

"I was quite surprised when I got my letter. I never even knew it existed!" she says with a laugh. That started me, though.

"You're muggleborn?" I ask and I could kick myself for the surprise in my tone.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" she asks nervously. Poor girl. She will suffer a great deal if my master ever finds out about her. I, myself, never understood his beliefs. I find it very hypocritical that, he, being a half-blood, would support the pure-blooded wizarding folk as the dominate race and demand the total annihilation of impure blood.

"Not for me," I reply calmly. "Heritage matters little to me or anything else in the long run." She smiles. I wonder if her face has ever stuck that way, with all the smiling she does. My master would be furious if he could hear me now. Still, she seems kind enough, and I think I might try to get to know her if nothing more than to spite the Dark Lord a bit.

"What house do you want to be in?" I ask her.

"I don't know, but they all sound really great from what I read in Hogwarts, A History," Lily answers excitedly.

"Really? You've read Hogwarts, A History?" I question.

"Only seven times since I bought it. Do you like it?"

"Indeed. I've read it over thirty times, since I was old enough to read," I reply with a coy smile. (AN: Now all we need now is Hermione and we can have a Hogwarts, A History party! 'thumped over the head with a Hogwarts, A History by Mione' Ouch!) Laughing happily (a very rare thing for me, in any case), Lily and I discuss things from our commonly favorite book to our plans for school. We are temporarily interrupted about four minutes after the train began to move by the compartment door sliding open and the appearance of two boys. (AN: I'll give you three guesses. Haven't guessed it yet? Too late!)

A boy with messy black hair, laughing hazel eyes, and horn-rimmed glasses steps into our compartment, followed by a very handsome boy with wavy black hair almost to his shoulders and deep, mischief-filled black eyes.

"Excuse us, fair ladies," the jet black-eyed boy says in a fairly good imitation of a knight of old as he bows, "but I'm afraid we have no where else to sit. May we sit with you?"

Lily and I exchange looks, but then silently nod our heads in acceptance. The boys grin.

"Thank you, fair ones," the boy who spoke earlier continues. "My name is Sirius Black, and my companion here is James Potter." Black and Potter? They are both pure-blood; that is for certain. But I never thought that I would see a Black and a Potter hanging out together as friends. I have never met a Potter before now, but I remember my master complaining about how the Potters are a nuisance to him, always such loyal lap-dogs to Dumbledore.

However, I have met the Blacks before, or at least some of them. One is a very loyal member of my master's inner circle. She is a horrid woman by the name of Bellatrix Black, fiancée to Rodolphus Lestrange. They had only joined the Dark Lord's ranks two years ago, but they have quickly moved up the lines of the Death Eaters power circle. Bellatrix is a wretched woman, and she has often tried to do anything to rile me up or embarrass me away from the eyes of the Dark Lord. I despise the woman with a passion, and if this Sirius is anything like his relative, then there is not much I can say for him. However, he must be somewhat different than the rest of his family if he's friends with the Potter boy. The Blacks and the Potters are not exactly bitter rivals, but they most certainly don't get along.

"My name is Lily Evans," Lily answers, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Hello, I am Kirra Wynsong," I add with a very small smile. It seems that they have noticed my wretched dress. Sirius is quite obviously trying and failing to stifle his laughter. James at least has managed to keep a straight face, but his eyes are dancing with humor. I glare coldly at Sirius. He chokes as he tries to make laughs sound more like coughs. Really, I doubt the Dark Lord will have to worry about Dumbledore: I just might kill him myself the next time I see him.

"I beg your pardon, most lovely ice-eyed maiden," Sirius apologizes after his laugh-cough fit has subsided, and he kisses my gloved hand. I thank my lucky stars; at least, I can always burn the glove. James and Sirius sit down in the seats across from ours, James across from Lily and Sirius across from me. Oh lucky me! To be honored by the constant eyesore of a total git! Now where did I put my book? By Lily's tenseness, it would seem that she is not comfortable with the playful stare of the messy-haired boy across from her either. The trolley witch comes by moments later and thankfully raises the blanket of awkwardness that has descended on the compartment. James, Sirius, Lily and I begin talking about Hogwarts and soon Quidditch after James and Sirius explain Quidditch to Lily in great and bantering detail. Lily scolds the boys for talking with their mouths full.

And soon Sirius and James get into an argument over which is the better Quidditch Team. It commences with either boy playing rather hilarious prank spells on the other, until Sirius looks like and arm-less clown, all colors included and James is flying body-bound close to the ceiling by his Dumbo-sized ears. Lily collapses onto the floor rolling around in her laughter. Even I have to clutch my stomach in pain from how hard and how much I am laughing. I cannot remember the last time I laughed like this, if ever I did. Soon, James and Sirius can't help but join in. Together, we drown half the train in laughter, most likely dreadfully confusing other students nearby.

I gradually gain control of my composure. The Dark Lord would punish me so severely if he could see me, but by Merlin, laughing feels so very good. Chuckling a little as I watch James bob up and down as he laughs and hear Sirius's giant red nose squeak with each laugh, I return James and Sirius to the way they should be. Finally calming down, Lily and I return to discussing one of our textbooks, and Sirius and James decide to play Gobstones.

I can't help but laugh when the first Gobstone explodes all over Sirius's face, covering him in blue goo. I can't believe how much I have laughed, just today!

Suddenly a very loud explosion and screaming reverberate outside the compartment, and all four of us leap out of our seats to find out what is happening.

… … … … … …

AN: Oh! A Cliffhanger! Wow, and my very first in this story. Unless you count Chapter 2 as a cliffhanger. Can anyone guess what happened? If Kirra may seem a bit different than the previous chapters, it may have something to do with her being away from that dark, leeching castle and out from under the chilling serpentine eyes of the Dark Lord. Well, you know my bill. Drop a review, get a new chapter. Ciao!


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